Method for measuring the electrical potential in a semiconductor element

ABSTRACT

Measuring an electrical potential in a semiconductor element by applying one or more voltages over the semiconductor element, placing at least one conductor in contact with the semi-conductor element using a scanning proximity microscope while injecting a substantially zero current in the semiconductor element with the conductor, measuring an electrical potential in the conductor while injecting a substantially zero current in the semiconductor element with the conductor, changing the position of the conductor, and repeating the measuring and changing steps.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/673,616,filed Jun. 25, 1996 and entitled METHOD FOR MEASURING THE ELECTRICALPOTENTIAL IN A SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,981, whichis a continuing application of U.S. Ser. No. 08/345,300, filed Nov. 28,1994 and entitled METHOD FOR RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS AND CARRIERPROFILING OF A SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,734 (the'300 application) and of U.S. Ser. No. 08/520,341, filed Aug. 28, 1995and entitled METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE CHARGE CARRIERDISTRIBUTION IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT, now abandoned (the '341application). The entire respective disclosures of the '616, the '300and the '341 applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a method for the electricalcharacterization of semiconductor elements with a very high resolution.More particularly a method is disclosed for measuring the electricalpotential and the electrical potential distribution in a semiconductorelement with a resolution of the order of nanometers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With ever decreasing feature size of semiconductor devices, thepotential distribution in the device during operation and relatedproperties such as the electrical field distribution and the extent ofspace-charge regions next to junctions are of great interest. Knowledgeof these quantities with nanometer resolution becomes crucial foractivities such as TCAD device simulator development and also formanufacturing process evaluation. Simulation software for submicrondevices needs reliable data provided by characterization techniques forcalibration. Measurement techniques therefore must be simple, have ahigh spatial resolution and sensitivity, have to be applicable to bothconducting and non-conducting samples, and be affected as little aspossible by the corrections caused by the measuring instruments. Asemiconductor element should be subjected to as few as possiblepreparation steps in order to allow is for such measurements. It isfurthermore a specific need for quality control during production anddevelopment of semiconductor elements to determine the spatialdistribution of the electrically active charge carriers therein. Inparticular, after annealing of doped semiconductor elements it isuncertain which part of the dopants is of significance electrically andwhat is the actual spatial distribution of these charge carriers in thesemiconductor element.

Scanning proximity microscopes are known in the prior art. Saidmicroscopes are capable of imaging the surface of a substrate withatomic resolution. Conventional scanning proximity microscopes providesignals which correspond to changes in the topography of the sampleunder investigation.

Techniques are known in the prior art by which the potentialdistribution of a semiconductor element can be measured. The paperScanning Tunneling Potentiometry, Appl. Phys. Lett. 48, 514 (1986) byMuralt and Pohl discloses a method for measuring the potentialdistribution on conductor/semiconductor elements by using a scanningtunneling microscope (STM). In said method the different frequenciesconstituting the tunneling current between a conducting tip and thesemiconducting/conducting element under investigation are separated inorder to obtain electrical potential characteristics. Said methodsuffers from the disadvantage that the STM-tip does not make contactwith the semiconducting/conducting element under investigation. Further,the measured potential distribution is disturbed by the tunnelingcurrent, injected in the semiconducting/conducting element underinvestigation. Said method furthermore is sensitive to the presence ofcontaminants present on the semiconducting/conducting element underinvestigation. M. Anders et al., in the paper Potentiometry forThin-Film Structures using Atomic Force Microscopy, J. Vac. Sci.Technol.A8, 394 (1990) discloses a STM/AFM based noncontact potentialmeasurement. Said method is disturbed by the tunneling current, injectedin the semiconducting/conducting element under investigation and issensitive to the presence of contaminants present on thesemiconducting/conducting element under investigation. U.S. Pat. No.5,122,739 discloses a method and apparatus for measuring node voltageson integrated circuits. Said method and apparatus are based on theSTM-technique. Nonnenmacher et al. disclose in the paper Kelvin ProbeForce Microscopy, Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 2921 (1991) a method formeasuring the contact potential difference between different materialsusing Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy. The prior art fails to disclose amethod to measure the electrical potential in semiconductor elementwithout disturbing said electrical potential. The cited references failto disclose a method to measure the electrical potential in asemiconductor element that is insensitive to the presence ofcontaminants on the surface of the semiconducting/conducting elementsunder investigation. The cited references fail to disclose a method thatis a method that allows simultaneous measurements of the topography andthe potential distribution of semiconductor elements and related/derivedcharacteristics thereof using a scanning proximity microscope in contactmode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a new method for measuring the potentialdistribution in a semiconductor element. The present inventionadvantageously exploits the technology from conventional Atomic ForceMicroscopy (AFM) and/or Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) combinedwith one or more conducting probes to map the potential distribution ina semiconductor element. The measured potential distribution can be usedfor applications such as process control, process optimization, TCADdevice simulator calibration, the determination of charge carrierdistributions in semiconductor elements and other applications.

For this purpose, the invention provides a method for measuring theelectrical potential on a semiconductor element comprising the steps ofapplying one or more voltages over the semiconductor element and placingone or more conductors in contact with the semiconductor element using ascanning proximity microscope. An electrical potential in thesemiconductor element is measured with at least one of the conductorswhile injecting a substantially zero current in said semiconductorelement. The term "substantially zero current" as used herein and theclaims means a lower value than the value of a tunneling current. In anembodiment of the invention, the contact force between the conductorsand the semiconductor element is calibrated.

Advantageously, a scanning proximity microscope (SPM), such as an AFM(Atomic Force Microscope), is employed to keep the contact force and/ordistance between the probe and the semiconductor element constant, andto move the probe and semiconductor element relative to each other.Because of the standard resolution of such a scanning proximitymicroscope is in the nanometer range, the present inventive method hasbeen designated nanopotentiometry. Two or more conductors are heldagainst predetermined positions on the semiconductor element and set toa predetermined voltage. External electrical equipment is connected tothe probe element in order to perform the electrical potentialmeasurement. The probe is scanned in a predetermined pattern across thesemiconductor element while the scanning proximity microscope feedbackloop maintains a constant distance and/or constant pressure forcebetween the probe and the semiconductor element. This pattern can beone-dimensional or two-dimensional.

It is an aspect of the present invention to disclose a method thatallows simultaneous measurements of the topography and the potentialdistribution of semiconductor elements and related/derivedcharacteristics thereof using a scanning proximity microscope in contactmode. Hereby a mapping of the potential distribution at the surface ofthe semiconductor elements under investigation can be obtained. Herebyalso a mapping of the potential distribution inside the semiconductorelement under investigation can be obtained. By establishing a relationbetween electrical potential and charge carrier distribution, the chargecarrier distribution in the semiconductor can be obtained by convertingthe mapped electrical potential distribution to charge carrierdistribution.

In another aspect of the invention, the invention provides a method formeasuring the electrical potential distribution in a semiconductorelement, comprising the steps of applying at least one voltage over thesemiconductor element; placing at least one conductor in contact withthe semiconductor element using a scanning proximity microscope whileinjecting a substantially zero current in the semiconductor element withthe conductor; measuring the electrical potential on the conductor whileinjecting a substantially zero current in the semiconductor element withthe conductor; and thereafter changing the position of the conductor inorder to map the electrical potential distribution in the semiconductorelement by measuring the electrical potential on the conductor atdifferent positions on the semiconductor element.

In an embodiment of this latter aspect of the invention, the conductoris held in contact with the semiconductor element while the position ofthe conductor is changed. In this embodiment contact force iscontinuously applied between the conductor and the semiconductorelement. In another embodiment of this aspect of the invention, aparameter characterizing contact between the semiconductor element andthe conductor is monitored. The contact between the semiconductorelement and the conductor includes electrical and mechanical contact.The parameter or the parameters characterizing contact between thesemiconductor element and the conductor therefore include information onmechanical and electrical contact. These contact parameters can becalibrated for executing the method for measuring the electricalpotential distribution in the semiconductor element. This calibrationstep can be executed in many ways and can include a calibration ofcontact force between the semiconductor element and the conductor or acalibration of the setpoint voltage of the scanning proximity microscopeor any calibration of any way of contact monitoring, yielding as aresult the execution of the electrical potential distributionmeasurements of the invention in a reliable way. The calibration stepcan include the step of determining a precise value of the contactparameter and can also include the step of determining a lower or anupper limit for the contact parameter in order to execute the method formeasuring the electrical potential distribution in the semiconductorelement in a reliable way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, features and details of the present invention willbecome apparent on the basis of the following detailed description withreference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a measurement method using an AtomicForce Microscope (AFM) which can be used in carrying out a first aspectof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram which illustrates the measurement methodin more detail;

FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) show the electrical potential on the probe measured asfunction of the distance between the probe and the semiconductorelements under investigation;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the setup used in a specificapplication;

FIG. 5 shows a graph of the one-dimensional potential distributionresults, measured on a p-n junction;

FIG. 6 shows a graph of the extent of the depletion layer versus appliedvoltage according to the measurements on the p-n junction shown in FIG.5;

FIGS. 7(a)-7(d) are graphs of the two-dimensional potential distributionresults, measured on a p+-implantation in an n-type silicon substrate;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a measurement method using an AFM whichcan be used in carrying out another aspect of the invention; and

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are graphs showing a topography and a potentialsignal, respectively, occurring during the measurement method of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In order to carry out the measurement method in accordance with theinvention, an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) arrangement is used. FIG. 1shows the measurement apparatus according to an embodiment of theinvention. A semiconductor element (1), which may to comprise atransistor structure, is mounted movable three-dimensionally with afirst piezo-crystal (2), which adjusts or calibrates the force ordistance of a conducting needle (3) (referred to as "the probe")relative to the semiconductor element (1) making use of a feedbackmechanism and which enables the movement of the probe over the surfaceof the semiconductor element. The feedback mechanism can be as follows.The probe is attached to a cantilever (4), whose deflection is measuredby a deflection detection mechanism (5). Said deflection detection canbe by laser-light reflection onto a segmented photo detector (6) asshown in FIG. 1, or by optical interferometry, or by capacitivedeflection detection, or by tunneling detection, or with a secondpiezoresistive or piezocapacitive detection mechanism. Said deflectiondetection mechanisms produce a signal which is a measure for thedeflection. This signal is fed back by a feedback loop (7) to the firstpiezo-crystal (2). The force between the probe and the semiconductorelement can be held constant because of this feedback.

Using the first piezo-crystal (2) the probe (3) is moved over thesurface of the semiconductor element (1) while the force or pressure ordistance between the probe and the semiconductor element is heldconstant. The electrical potential measured on said probe (3) isrecorded using external standard electrical equipment. In this way,essentially the entire spatial potential distribution in saidsemiconductor element can be measured. The potential distribution insaid semiconductor element can originate from applied voltages betweentwo or more contacts on said semiconductor element. The potentialdistribution can also originate from incident light, magnetic waves,electromagnetic waves, temperature, pressure or other sources using wellknown techniques. Also characteristic features within said semiconductorelement such as depletion widths, junction positions, defects, grainboundaries, delineation of insulating and conducting layers and localband structure can become visible. Furthermore, the potentialdistribution can be used to derive related electrical properties such asthe electrical field, carrier and dopant concentration, chargedistribution and carrier lifetimes.

The arrangement of the present invention contemplates the use of severalprobes, each of them having their own deflection detection mechanism,feedback loop and electrical potential measurement unit.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a preferred embodiment in more detail. Onlyone probe (3) and three conductors (8) are shown. The conductors areattached to the semiconductor element (1) and set to predeterminedvoltages (9). The electrical potential on said probe (3) is measured byan electrometer (10).

The force or pressure or distance needed for reliable, reproduciblemeasurement of the electrical potential can be determined or calibratedby monitoring the electrical potential on the probe while the probeapproaches the semiconductor sample. From this curve, the minimum forceor pressure or distance necessary for reliable, reproducible potentialmeasurement can easily be determined or calibrated. FIG. 3a shows anexample of a potential vs. sample displacement curve for a homogeneouslydoped silicon sample biased to 1 V. Also shown is the force acting onthe probe as a function of sample displacement. Contact between sampleand probe is characterized by a first substantial change in the forcecharacteristic of the probe. One way of expressing said firstsubstantial force change is as a non-zero first derivative of the forceversus displacement curve. The potential measured on the probe shows afirst substantial potential change as the force is further increased bylifting the sample towards said probe. The force corresponding to saidfirst substantial potential change is taken as the calibrated minimumforce required for executing reliable, reproducible potentialmeasurements on the sample under investigation. The calibrated forceneeded for carrying out reliable measurements in this example thereforeis about 2 μN. FIG. 3b shows an example of a potential vs. sampledisplacement curve for a platinum sample biased to 1 V. The calibratedforce needed for carrying out reliable measurements in this example isbetween 100 nN and 1 μN. FIG. 3c shows an example of such a potentialvs. sample displacement curve for a homogeneously doped silicon samplewith a 4.5 nm thick SiO2, biased to 1 V. The calibrated force needed forcarrying out reliable measurements in this example is about 3 μN. Withinthese calibration experiments, the measured potential is measured on aplace of the sample under investigation where one expects to measure thesame potential as the applied potential. After this calibration, thepotential distribution in the semiconductor element under investigationcan further be investigated by changing the position of the probe whilekeeping the force at the calibrated force value. It is obvious that thepotential on a homogeneously doped sample, as used in the descriptionhereabove is constant and not changing over the sample underinvestigation.

An example of use of the invention follows. In this example, theelectrical potential distribution to be measured in the semiconductorelement is caused by a voltage applied over said semiconductor elementby applying a voltage between conductors attached to the semiconductorelement.

Chosen as semiconductor element is a standard wafer of (100) siliconwhich consists of a boron-doped, epitaxially grown p-layer on aphosphorus-doped n-layer. A detailed measurement apparatus according tothis preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 4. Using the so-calledSpreading Resistance Probe (SRP) technique it is determined that the p-njunction is situated at a depth of about 4.8 μm and the charge carrierconcentration of the p-layer amounts to 2×10¹⁷ /cm³ and of the n-layerto 1×10¹⁵ /cm³. A portion of approximately 3 by 5 mm is broken off thewafer. Under the optical microscope a part of the fractured or cleavedis face was found to be sufficiently flat to enable measurement thereon.The surface of the wafer was not prepared further.

In order to apply a potential difference over the p-n junction twocontacts (8) were ultrasonically soldered to the semiconductor element:one to the n-type region (11) and one to the p-type region (12).

The broken-off part was attached to an insulating piece of glass (13)such that the cleaved surface of the p-n junction was exposed on thetop. The piece of glass was adhered fixedly to a piece of steel (14) sothat the sample could be clamped magnetically to the measuringarrangement of the atomic force microscope used.

The measurement results were obtained using an AFM device (in thepresent case a NanoScope II from Digital Instruments) with which thesemiconductor sample can be moved relative to the measuring probe withnanometer accuracy while there is a substantially constant force betweenthe tip of the measuring probe and the surface of the semiconductorelement. In the chosen preferred embodiment the tip of the measuringprobe (3) is manufactured from diamond which is implanted with boron andwhich is conductive. Alternatively, the tip of the probe (3) may be madeof diamond, tungsten coated diamond, diamond-like-carbon, silicon,diamond-coated silicon, silicide-coated silicon, cubic boron-nitride andnitride-coated silicon.

The potential difference over the semiconductor element which comprisesa p-type layer (12) on an n-type substrate (11) was applied using abattery (15) which is connected in series to a variableresistor/potentiometer designated schematically with (16) in order to beable to apply different setting voltages over the semiconductor element.The potential difference between the measuring probe (3) and theconnection contact (8) on the p-layer was determined using anelectrometer (10), in the present case of the type Keithley 617.

First the force needed for executing reliable, reproducible measurementswere calibrated using the procedure detailed hereabove. The forcecalibration was executed on the semiconductor element underinvestigation comprising a p-type layer on an n-type substrate. Theforce is calibrated while placing the probe on such part of thesemiconductor element under investigation where the same potential asthe one applied was to be measured. Such part can be the n-region atlarge distance from the junction.

Thereafter, at a predetermined setting voltage and using an opticalmicroscope, the tip of the measuring probe was placed in the region ofthe p-n junction in contact with the sample and held there against withsaid calibrated force, whereafter by means of a movement of the AFMpiezo-crystal in one direction transversely of the junction thepotential gradient at the tip of the probe (3) was determined as afunction of the distance d over the junction with steps of 15 up to 50nm according to the chosen embodiment.

In FIG. 5 the measurement curves (17), (18) and (19) were measured inreverse bias mode at setting voltages of respectively 8.0, 6.0 and 2.0Volt. In reverse bias mode the entire voltage drop is expected to occuracross a shallow depletion layer in the region of the p-n junction. Withan accuracy of more than 95% the semiconductor element was movedreciprocally in a direction transversely of the p-n junction through adistance of 7 μm at a frequency of 0.13 Hertz. It was observed that whenthe pressure force is increased, for instance doubled, the measurementresults hardly vary from those shown in FIG. 5. From FIG. 5 it can alsobeen seen that the depletion layer is extending deeper into the n-Si asthe setting voltage increases according to the following formula:##EQU1## where x_(n) is the extension of the depletion layer into then-Si, ε_(o) is the permittivity of vacuum, ε_(s) is the dielectricconstant of silicon, V_(bi) is the built-in voltage of the diode, V isthe setting voltage, N_(A) and N_(D) are the acceptor and donorconcentrations, and e is the elementary charge.

In FIG. 6 the extension of the depletion layer was plotted versus thesquare root of the applied reverse bias plus a theoretical value of 0.7Volt V_(bi). The straight line connecting the data points indicates theagreement between the experiment and theory for an abrupt junction.

A second example, illustrating some of the 2D possibilities of thepresent invention follows. Again, the electrical potential distributionto be measured on the semiconductor element, is caused by voltagesapplied to conductors attached to the semiconductor element.

The semiconductor sample was prepared as follows: a 20 keV boronimplantation with a dose of 2×10¹⁵ atoms/cm² was performed into astandard n-type substrate and annealed in an N2 atmosphere for 30 min at900° C. This results in a two-dimensional diode structure with anelectrical junction depth of about 400 nm and a maximum dopingconcentration of 5×10¹⁹ /cm³ in the implanted layer. Further samplepreparation may be done as described for the first example.

FIGS. 7(a)-7(b) are grey scale representations of the simultaneouslymeasured topography (20) and potential distribution (21) of a crosssection of this semiconductor element. On the left part (22) of thetopography image the non-implanted region is visible through the thickimplantation mask. Dark areas represent the side walls of thesemiconductor element, which correspond to part of the grooves where theimplantation was performed into. At the right part (23) of the potentialmap the expected diode characteristic is revealed for the implantedregion.

Alternative modes of carrying out the invention include the followingoptions, they can be used separately or in combination with each other.

Measurements can be performed on one of the surfaces of thesemiconductor element, by preference the top surface and/or on a crosssection of the semiconductor element. The latter requires a crosssection preparation, which can be done by cutting, and/or cleaving,and/or (chemical) mechanical polishing with different grain sizeabrasive papers, and/or focused ion beam cutting, combined with surfacecleaning steps. Sections under certain angles known as bevelled sectionsto people skilled in the art may be applied in order to achievegeometrical enlargement of the measurement surface of the semiconductorelement.

When the potential distribution to be measured is caused by applyingvoltages to conductors attached to the semiconductor element, differentways of arranging the conductors to the semiconductor element arepossible. In addition to the ultrasonically soldered conductorsmentioned in example one direct bonding of e.g. Al or Au wires to thesemiconductor element or to existing bond pads is a preferred way ofarranging the conductors to the semiconductor element due to processcompatibility. The use of liquid solder (GaIn-eutectic) or fabricationof Pt-micro contacts by a FIB machine are other alternatives.

Two or more probes can be used simultaneously, replacing the singleprobe, each of them having their own Is voltage measurement unit andforce control unit.

The potential distribution of the semiconductor element can be modulatedby focusing light on it, and/or by adding an AC voltage to the DCsettings of all or part of the conductors placed against thesemiconductor element. A lock-in technique can then be used to measurethe resulting modulated potential on the probe(s).

Instead of keeping the distance and/or the force or pressure forcebetween the probe and the semiconductor element constant, the so-calledtapping mode technique can be used: the probe is oscillated in thedirection perpendicular to the semiconductor element at a frequencyclose to its resonant frequency, touching the semiconductor elementperiodically. During the touch-down of the probe the potential on theprobe is measured.

Superposed to the movement of the probe across the semiconductorelement, the probe can be oscillated (small amplitude, e.g. 10 nm)across the sample. When a lock-in technique is used to measure theresulting potential on the probe, the gradient of the potentialdistribution is measured, i.e. the electrical field distribution on thesurface of the semiconductor element.

Yet in another mode of carrying out the invention, the mode of carryingout the invention is executed as follows. According to this method, theinvention provides a method for measuring the electrical potentialdistribution in a semiconductor element, comprising the steps ofapplying at least one voltage over the semiconductor element; placing atleast one conductor in contact with the semiconductor element using ascanning proximity microscope while injecting a substantially zerocurrent in the semiconductor element with the conductor; measuring theelectrical potential on the conductor while injecting a substantiallyzero current in the semiconductor element with the conductor; andthereafter changing the position of the conductor in order to map theelectrical potential distribution in the semiconductor element bymeasuring the electrical potential on said conductor at differentpositions on the semiconductor element.

Referring to FIG. 8, in an exemplary description of this mode ofexecuting the invention, one can proceed as follows. Two electricalcontacts (not shown) are defined on a semiconductor element (1), in thisexample a doped Si sample (1). The sample of the example is a (100)n-type sample with dimensions of lomm by 10 mm, a resistivity of0.09-0.15 Ωcm corresponding to a doping level of 10¹⁷ cm³. This sampleis homogeneously doped. The electrical contacts can be made using liquidGaIn eutectic combined with conductive silver paint. These electricalcontacts allow for applying a voltage over the semiconductor element.This sample is mounted at the sample holder of an Atomic ForceMicroscope (AFM) arrangement (30), which may be the same as the AFMarrangement of FIG. 1, and electrical connections are made to a voltagesource (31) and a resistor (32). This set-up should guarantee that themain voltage drop will occur across the resistor (32). Therefore, theapplied voltage that will be present in the semiconductor sample in thisparticular example will be homogeneous and is 1.0 V. A homogeneoussignal as a result of the electrical potential distribution measurementstherefore is expected.

A probe (3) being in this example a Si tip coated with 100 nm borondoped diamond (specifications: force constant 42 N/m, resonancefrequency 330 kHz, length 125 μm, width 28±5 μm, height 10-15 μm, whichmay, for example, be provided by NANOSENSORS Dr. Olaf Wolter GmbH,Aidlingen, Germany is mounted at the AFM system (e.g. a Dimension 3000,Digital Instruments Inc., Santa Barbara, Calif.) and connected to a highimpedance voltmeter (32) (e.g., a Keithley 617 electrometer, Keithley,Cleveland, Ohio). The output/readings of the voltmeter (33) are sent tothe auxiliary voltage channel of the AFM system. Therefore, topographyand potential data, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), respectively, canbe imaged and stored simultaneously. The AFM is used in contact modewhich term is well known in the art and means that mechanical contact isestablished between the probe and the semiconductor element. After thenecessary steps for preparing a contact mode measurement which is astandard procedure for topography imaging and well known in the art, asetpoint voltage (for example 0.1 V) can be chosen for making a firstcontact. This setpoint voltage determines the desired cantileverdeflection and consequently the contact force for executing the furthermeasurements. It is to be noted that the probe (3) is attached to thecantilever (4) whose deflection is measured by the deflection detectionmechanism (5). The cantilever deflection therefore can be held constantduring the measurements. The step of establishing a setpoint voltage maybe done according to the procedure described on pages 6-5 and 6-10 ofthe Dimension 3000 SPM Instrument Manual, 1996. The entire disclosure ofsuch manual is incorporated by reference herein. The setpoint voltagefor instance may determine the value of the z-parameter of the piezocrystal determining the position of the probe. In this particularexample, by applying a setpoint voltage of 0.1 V, a stable mechanicalcontact at the silicon sample can be observed, but no voltage can bemeasured with the probe (3). The probe (3) is then withdrawn and thereis no longer contact between the probe (3) and the semiconductor element(1). As a next step, a setpoint voltage of for instance 0.5 V is chosenfor making a second contact between the probe and the silicon sample. Astable mechanical contact can be detected, but in addition a voltagesignal (1 V as applied on the sample) is detected by the conductiveprobe as shown in the FIG. 9(b). This means that also electrical contactis made between the semiconductor element and the sample. In this waythe calibration of the contact between the semiconductor element andprobe thus means that a contact parameter value (the value of thesetpoint voltage) is determined that allows the method of the inventionto be executed in a reliable way.

The measurements are carried out in point contact mode. No scanningmotion occurs, therefore the height of the topography should remainrather constant except for some experimental noise. The same holds forthe potential signal. The time scales for the two graphs are identicalas both signals are stored simultaneously. It is evident that when theexperiment is carried out in scanning mode, the potential signal (FIG.9b) will remain constant but the topography signal (FIG. 9a) will vary.

Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It ispreferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by thespecific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of measuring an electrical potentialdistribution in a semiconductor element, comprising the steps of:(a)applying at least one voltage over said semiconductor element; (b)placing at least one conductor in contact with said semiconductorelement using a scanning proximity microscope while injecting asubstantially zero current in said semiconductor element with saidconductor; (c) measuring the electrical potential on said conductorwhile injecting a substantially zero current in said semiconductorelement with said conductor; (d) changing the position of saidconductor; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d).
 2. The method as recitedin claim 1 further comprising the step of holding said conductor incontact with said semiconductor element while changing the position ofsaid conductor.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said contactincludes electrical and mechanical contact.
 4. The method as recited inclaim 3 further comprising the step of monitoring a contact parameterwhile executing steps (b)-(e).
 5. The method as recited in claim 4further comprising the step of calibrating said contact parameter,thereby obtaining at least one calibrated contact parameter value. 6.The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said contact parameter iscontact force.
 7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprisingthe step of executing steps (b)-(e) at said calibrated contact parametervalue.
 8. The method as recited in claim 1 adapted for measuring saidelectrical potential on a cross-section of said semiconductor element.9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said cross-section isformed by cleaving said semi-conductor element.
 10. The method asrecited in claim 8, wherein said cross-section is formed by polishingsaid semi-conductor element.
 11. The method as recited in claim 8,wherein said cross-section is formed by chemical etching saidsemi-conductor element.
 12. The method as recited in claim 8, whereinsaid cross-section is formed by ion-beam milling said semi-conductorelement.
 13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein saidcross-section is formed by sawing said semi-conductor element.
 14. Themethod as recited in claim 8, wherein said cross-section is formed bysputter-etching said semi-conductor element.
 15. The method as recitedin claim 8, wherein said cross-section is formed by bevel etching saidsemi-conductor element.
 16. The method as recited in claim 6, whereinsaid step of calibrating the contact force between said conductor andsaid semiconductor element comprises the steps of:placing said conductorin contact with said semiconductor element in a region with a knownelectrical potential; monitoring the electrical potential measured withsaid conductor; and increasing the contact force between said conductorand said semiconductor element until a first substantial change in theforce characteristic of said conductor is recorded and until a firstsubstantial change in said monitored electrical potential is recorded,whereby the monitored electrical potential attains substantially thesame value as said known electrical potential, the corresponding contactforce being the calibrated contact force.
 17. The method as recited inclaim 1, further comprising the step of:oscillating said conductor in adirection substantially perpendicular to the surface of saidsemiconductor element during step (c).
 18. The method as recited inclaim 1, wherein said voltage is applied by applying a voltage betweentwo or more contacts arranged on said semiconductor element.
 19. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein said voltage is applied by placingsaid semiconductor element in a magnetic field.
 20. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein said voltage is applied by placing saidsemiconductor element in an electromagnetic field.
 21. The method isrecited in claim 1, wherein said voltage is applied by subjecting saidsemiconductor element to electromagnetic radiation.
 22. The method asrecited in claim 1, wherein said scanning proximity microscope is anatomic force microscope.
 23. The method as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid conductor is an electrically conducting, relatively hard probe. 24.The method as recited in claim 23, wherein at least the tip of saidprobe is made of a material selected from the group consisting ofdiamond, boron implanted diamond, tungsten coated diamond,diamond-like-carbon, silicon, diamond-coated silicon, silicide-coatedsilicon, cubic boron-nitride and nitride-coated silicon.
 25. The methodas recited in claim 6, adapted for measuring a characteristic of saidsemiconductor element, further comprising the steps of:establishing arelation between said electrical potential and said characteristic;mapping the electrical potential distribution in said semiconductorelement; and converting said potential distribution to saidcharacteristic using said relation.
 26. The method as recited in claim25, wherein said characteristic is the charge carrier distribution insaid semiconductor element.
 27. The method as recited in claim 25,wherein said conductor is moved substantially perpendicular over asurface of said semiconductor element in which is situated a p-njunction.
 28. A method of measuring an electrical potential distributionin a semiconductor element, comprising the steps of:(a) applying atleast one voltage over said semiconductor element; (b) placing at leastone conductor in contact with said semiconductor element using ascanning proximity microscope while injecting a substantially zerocurrent in said semiconductor element with said conductor, therebyestablishing a contact force between said conductor and saidsemiconductor element; (c) calibrating said contact force between saidconductor and said semiconductor element to thereby obtain a calibratedcontact force; and thereafter (d) holding said conductor in contact withsaid semiconductor element while establishing said calibrated contactforce between said conductor and said semiconductor element; (e)measuring the electrical potential on said conductor while injecting asubstantially zero current in said semiconductor element with saidconductor; (f) changing the position of said conductor; and (g)repeating steps (e) and (f).
 29. A method of measuring an electricalpotential distribution in a semiconductor element, comprising the stepsof:(a) applying at least one voltage over said semiconductor element;(b) placing at least one conductor in contact with said semiconductorelement using a scanning proximity microscope while injecting asubstantially zero current in said semiconductor element with saidconductor; (c) measuring the electrical potential on said conductorwhile injecting a substantially zero current in said semiconductorelement with said conductor; (d) changing the position of saidconductor; (e) repeating steps (c) and (d); (f) monitoring a contactparameter while executing steps (b)-(e); (g) calibrating said contactparameter, thereby obtaining at least one calibrated contact parametervalue; (h) executing steps (b)-(e) at said calibrated contact parametervalue; (i) establishing a relation between said electrical potential anda characteristic of said semiconductor; (j) mapping the electricalpotential distribution in said semiconductor element; and (k) convertingsaid potential distribution to said characteristic using said relation.30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein said conductor is movedsubstantially perpendicular over a surface of said semiconductor elementin which is situated a p-n junction.
 31. The method as recited in claim29, wherein said semiconductor element comprises a transistor structure.